The assessment of the knowledge and practices of healthcare providers regarding paroxysmal non-epileptic events (PNES) in children: A cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVE: Paroxysmal non-epileptic events (PNEs) are a group of disorders that may be misdiagnosed as epilepsy. This study has aimed to assess the knowledge and practices of family physicians and pediatricians regarding the diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up of PNEs in children. METHODS: The study was designed as a prospective cross-sectional study that was conducted between March 1, 2022, and June 1, 2022, by reaching pediatric specialists and assistants, family physicians, subspecialty assistants, and subspecialists using a Google questionnaire. The survey consists of 26 questions. The questionnaire used by the researchers was prepared in accordance with the literature search and it included detailed questions on the diagnosis, treatment, and differential diagnosis of PNEs. RESULTS: A total of 37.3% worked as specialists. Most of the participants (41.3%) have worked in training and research hospitals, and 44.3% have been physicians for 6-10 years. The mean and standard deviation for the total score were 10.1 ± 2.6. The scores of family physicians were statistically lower than those of specialists, subspecialty assistants, and subspecialists. A total of 67.2% left the decision of whether the patient should stop taking their medication to another clinician. 45% of the doctors said that they were uncomfortable with the diagnosis. SIGNIFICANCE: The study findings emphasized the significant knowledge gap among healthcare providers regarding PNEs in children, highlighting the need for targeted educational interventions to improve their understanding and diagnostic skills in this area.

Serum Cingulin levels are increased in children with autism spectrum disorder.

Background: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a group of neurodevelopmental disorders in which the underlying pathogenesis and etiologic factors are not fully understood. The blood brain barrier (BBB) ​​plays a critical role in central nervous system defense by limiting access to circulating solutes, macromolecules, and cells that can negatively affect neuronal activity. The loss of BBB integrity is likely to be seen as a common pathologic finding for many psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia, ASD, and mood disorders. In this study, we aimed to investigate whether serum Cingulin levels are associated with ASD. Subjects and Methods: A total of 40 treatment-naive children with ASD and 40 healthy controls were included in the present study. The Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Aged Children, Present and Lifetime Version-DSM-5 (K-SADS-PL-DSM-5) has been used to screen healthy controls for psychiatric disorders by a psychiatrist after a physical examination by a paediatrician. The clinical severity of the ASD symptoms has been assessed by the Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS). Venous blood samples were collected and serum Cingulin levels were measured. Results: When the ASD and control groups were compared, CARS and Cingulin values of the patient group were statistically higher than the healthy group. There is a statistically positive correlation between CARS and Cingulin values. Discussion: To the best of our knowledge, this study is a first in the literature conducted about the serum Cingulin levels, which is a component of BBB, among patients with ASD. Our findings demonstrate that serum Cingulin levels are meaningfully higher in ASD group compared to the healthy control group. It has been also indicated that there has been a meaningful relationship between serum Cingulin levels and ASD symptom severity.

Relationship between body mass index z-score and acne severity in adolescents: a prospective analysis.

Introduction: Acne vulgaris is a prevalent skin disorder influenced by a variety of factors, including a high body mass index (BMI) and obesity. Aim: To investigate the association between BMI z-scores and acne severity in boys and girls aged 10-18 years. Material and methods: A 72-patient prospective analysis was performed, in which patient weight, height, body mass index (BMI), body mass index z score (BMI z-score), percentiles, and demographic information were collected, and acne severity was categorized as mild or moderate/severe. Results: The results indicated that patients with moderate/severe acne were significantly older and had higher weight, height, BMI, and BMI z-scores than those with mild acne (p < 0.01). Conclusions: The findings suggest that higher BMI z-scores are linked to increased acne severity. These results emphasize the importance of addressing weight-related risk factors for the prevention and treatment of acne vulgaris. The early detection and management of weight-related conditions can play a crucial role in improving the overall well-being of individuals with acne, considering its negative impact on mental health and social functioning.

Indirect hyperbilirubinemia because of eltrombopag in two cases after autologous hematopoetic stem cell transplantation.

ABSTRACT: The oral thrombopoietin receptor agonist eltrombopag has some side effects. One of them is related to bilirubin metabolism. Two patients with neuroblastoma in remission underwent stem cell transplantation with the Busulfan-melphalan regimen. Eltrombopag was started because of platelet engraftment failure. Indirect hyperbilirubinemia was detected after eltrombopag treatment. Laboratory and radiological investigations were all normal. The drugs and their side effects they used were examined. After eltombopag cutting, bilirubin levels of them returned to normal. These cases are presented to emphasize that eltrombopag can cause liver toxicity with hypertransaminesemia and hyperbilirubinemia. Drug side effects should be considered in the differential diagnosis of the patients. The significance of this case is that testing for serum aminotransferase and bilirubin levels should be monitored before and after eltrombopag use.